November 5: Done. I did add the two rows of single crochet, but I did not like the crochet picot edging. So I omitted that step. I could not find a button that I liked, so I knit a cover for a button I had in my stash. I think it blends in well and does not distract from the lovely sweater. Sorry for the indoor photos. When the weather is nicer, I’ll try to get better photos outside.

November 4: Yeah! The sweater is seamed. I just need to add the crocheted picot edging and the button.

November 1: JOY! Finished to hood this morning. Now blocking the pieces before sewing them together.

October 16: Working on the hood. Had to take a break on this project to work on a local KAL. Back to this project now.

September 14: The sleeve bottoms are done.

September 11: The sleeve tops are done. 10 pattern repeats plus 10 rows, then I started the sleeve cap shaping.

August 14: Finished the front panels of the sweater. Now onto the sleeves. The photo shows how much the size changes after washing and laying the sweater flat to dry. The left and right fronts have not been washed. The sweater back has been washed. They are the exact same number of rows in length. Interesting.

July 14: Finished the back of the sweater. I started sleeve shaping on row 9 of the lace pattern. I achieved the correct length for the arm hole opening after 3 repeats and 8 row. This means I finished on row 16 of the lace pattern. The piece has been washed and placed flat to dry. It dried to the state dimensions in the pattern. I plan to knit the two front pieces at the same time.

July 3: IMPORTANT SIZING UPDATE.

After knitting 10 repeats and 8 rows, my sweater back measured 17 inches long. I thought this would be a good time to see how much the pattern will open up after hand-washing and laying flat to dry.

After laying the sweater out wet to the width that the pattern recommends (22 ¾ inches for the larger size) the length of the sweater was 25 inches (YIKES). I let it dry flat with no blocking pins. As the yarn dried the size changed. Once dry, the sweater is the correct length, 22 inches (LUCKY). So, 17 inches in length when knit by me (I am not changing needle size for waist shaping) ends up as 22 inches in length after hand-washing and laying flat to dry. The width of the sweater did not change much after drying (only about ½ inch). So glad I checked this!

So now as I knit this pattern, I have adjusted the length measurements to accommodate the relaxation in length. I adjusted the length in the directions by dividing the stated length by 1.29. Here is how I came up with that number: 22 inches/17 inches = 1.29. Here is an example of how I apply this to the pattern measurements, if it says to knit the hood for 9 ½ inches. I take 9 ½ inches and divide that by 1.29 and get 7 ¼ inches. So when I’m knitting the hood, I will only knit 7 ¼ inches not 9 ½. This should ensure my sweater will not be too long.

I hope this tip comes in handy for others.

June 21: 8 pattern repeats done.

June 8: Slow but steady progress. 4 pattern repeats completed.

May 27: Decided to make the larger size.

May 24: First pattern repeat complete. I think this yarn will work well; the stitch definition is good even with the variegation in the yarn. I can see the lace pattern.

May 23: I started this project this morning, but I’m finding the pattern chart difficult to use for the back size 38. Starting the chart in the middle is confusing for me. I made several copies of the chart and cut and taped them together so the chart would start and end in the way that you normally read a chart and now things are moving along nicely. Before you attempt this pattern, make sure you really know how to read your stitches. The lace pattern is beautiful.